Liverpool rounded off pre-season with a promising result and some standout individuals, but there are still issues to consider.
Liverpool 2-0 Como
Pre-Season Friendly (6) | Anfield | August 16, 2026
Goals: Gakpo 23′, Jacquet 44’
Jacquet’s performance confirms Liverpool’s current best XI
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool kick off the new campaign at Newcastle on Sunday, and for several reasons, it might be easy to predict Iraola’s starting XI at this point.
The return to action of Jeremy Jacquet has been good timing to solve the issue in the centre of defence alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Ifeanyi Ndukwe has filled in well and, were it not for his work permit issues, might be pushing for a place in the team, but with the opener on the horizon, Jacquet put in a performance to fill himself, the fans, and his manager with confidence.
He was composed on the ball, alert in defensive situations, and technically good enough to get out of awkward situations.
He also got himself on the scoresheet, showing willingness to get in a position to grab a goal.
In the second or third phase after a corner kick, when some other centre-backs might be thinking about returning to the defence, Jacquet took up the position of a centre-forward, on hand to turn in Cody Gakpo’s cross.
Judging by the lineup against Como, and the options available to Iraola at the moment, it’s likely that the lineup at St James’s Park will be:
Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ngumoha, Isak, Gakpo.
Andoni’s endurance test
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Reds boss Andoni Iraola spoke last week about his players currently only being able to play at their peak for 30 minutes.
It makes these pre-season games and the training that surrounds them hugely important if Liverpool are to hit the ground running, playing Iraola’s preferred style from the off.
Rio Ngumoha said in a pre-match interview that pre-season under the new manager had been tough, but because of that, they feel physically ready for the upcoming campaign.
Training will be much more demanding than it was under Arne Slot, and the matches will be more demanding given the high-intensity style of play.
These are key moments in ensuring they are ready for the test of endurance that is a modern football season, and there was evidence in this game that they can now keep up the required intensity for a little longer.
Gakpo shows his worth
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Amid more speculation around a transfer move to Tottenham, Gakpo stood out for Liverpool in attack in the opening stages of the game against Como.
He was getting in good positions in and around the opposition area, creating chances for others and for himself.
The early eye-catching work was done in buildup play and combinations with others, before he ended up on the end of a move and took his goal really well.
Gakpo had struggled in Slot’s system, losing confidence as last season went on, not helped by being used as a centre-forward, where he looks completely out of position.
Back in an inside forward role in a more proactive team, we saw more of the Gakpo who was so useful under Jurgen Klopp, and he could be similarly useful under Iraola.
The idea might be that he needs to be sold in order for a new winger to be bought, but if he is sold, Liverpool would need to sign more than one player in this position anyway.
With that being the case, it might make more sense just to keep Gakpo for another season, and he seems to fit Iraola’s ideas well. By then, he might also command a higher transfer fee.
Curtis Jones heading for the exit
CHICAGO, USA - Wednesday, July 22, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones departs the team hotel for an afternoon training session in Chicago ahead of the start of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Wednesday, July 22, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones departs the team hotel for an afternoon training session in Chicago ahead of the start of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool played two games against Como, the first of which was earlier in the day behind closed doors.
Between the two games, all of Liverpool’s available players were involved in some way. All that is apart from Curtis Jones.
The official reason given for him missing the previous friendly against Monaco was due to a minor hip injury, this time he was said to have done an individual session at the AXA instead.
Given that he’d been in full training in the week, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out what’s really going on here amid continued links with a move to Inter.
The side from Milan already have two Englishmen on their books in John Stones and Djed Spence, and are looking to add Jones to that contingent.
There is still work to do from Inter’s side in order to present an offer Liverpool will accept, but today was the latest sign that Jones will be leaving the club this summer.
It’ll be alright on the right
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
There’s no doubt new signings are needed in the wide forward and winger positions, but the lack of depth there currently does have one positive.
It means more game time for Rio Ngumoha, who appears just as impressive regardless of which side of the pitch he plays.
It can be difficult to get the balance right between giving young players the game time they need to improve and overplaying them early in their career, but last season it felt like Ngumoha was underused by Slot.
Now he has the chance to start in a run of games on the right wing early in the season before the required reinforcements are brought in.
There is also a sign of a promising link-up with Jeremie Frimpong, last season’s new signing at right back who will be hoping to improve on his performances in his debut season at Anfield.
There have been good moments in pre-season, and the combined pace of Ngumoha and Frimpong down that side will worry defences.
Even if a big new signing is made in the wide areas, Ngumoha still has the quality to push for a starting place.
Football – Pre-Season Friendly – Liverpool FC v Como 1907
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet celebrates after scoring the second goal on his debut during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Football – Pre-Season Friendly – Liverpool FC v Como 1907
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet celebrates with team-mates after scoring the second goal on his debut during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Fan Comments